Tackling trade under Trump: A view from the frontline

SEMINAR 4 | Tokyo Back-to-Business Program Series 2018

"Trade wars are good, and easy to win," tweeted US president Donald Trump when he announced new "national security" tariffs on steel in March. He had already launched the first salvo within days of his January 2017 inauguration by withdrawing the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and later forcing Canada and Mexico to open renegotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Countries and companies worldwide now must deal with an unpredictable, precedent-breaking US administration. In this uncertain time for international trade, what must organizations do to manage this near-term volatility? At the same time, how can they make strategic decisions about their future growth?

Japan has sought stability by pressing forward with its Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union and leading the remaining TPP member countries to conclude the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Our panelists will share first-hand experiences with the NAFTA renegotiations and the TPP/CPTPP negotiations and the lessons learned in navigating the newly-erected US trade barriers, such as the tariffs on steel and the threatened "national security" tariffs on autos. This discussion will offer practical strategies Japanese companies may employ to survive this tumultuous period.